Saint Dominic Regional High School will not open in the fall.

In recent months, dozens of students had enrolled in anticipation of the school’s opening. But after meeting earlier in the week, the board decided against opening in the fall, saying funding plans for their new location did not work out.

“The Board unanimously determined it could not move forward without securing the full financial resources necessary to responsibly build out the second and third floors of the Peck Building on Main Street and ensure the school’s long-term sustainability,” according to a news release from the Saint Dominic Regional High School board Wednesday night. “In the past few days, the board explored another site that required no build-out and could have ensured at least two years of operations, but learned today that the offer was not accepted.”

The decision comes just weeks after Head of School Claude Berube announced that the school’s first event would be a graduation for the class of 2026, the class that thought they would graduate a Saint, but didn’t get to.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland abruptly closed the high school on Gracelawn Road in Auburn last spring and a group of supporters started its own effort to bring the high school back by fundraising money for the faith-based school to reopen in the Peck Center on Main Street this fall.

Sean Andrews, chair of the St. Dom’s board, said Wednesday that the decision was not an easy one, particularly after the community had rallied behind the effort to get the school operating again.

“While we came close to reaching our initial enrollment goal and were deeply encouraged by
the number of families who stepped forward,” Andrews said, “we did not achieve the financial benchmark required to both complete the necessary renovations in the Peck Building and sustain the school for the next four years.”

“St. Dom’s has always represented tradition, opportunity, belonging, and a belief in the power of education to shape lives,” Berube said. “While we are disappointed by this outcome, we are grateful to the families, students, alumni, and supporters who believed in this school and worked so hard to bring it to life. Their commitment speaks volumes about the legacy of St. Dom’s.

“The members of the Board of Directors were tireless in their efforts and did everything possible to make this happen,” Berube said. “Supporters like Don Dion also offered $1 million in scholarships over four years to keep our tuition affordable.”

The board said all enrollment fees collected will be returned to the families.

“The board will meet next week to ensure a responsible, transparent and orderly process for the return of unexpended donations,” according to the release.